Delagram 14th December 2023

From the Principal

Have yourself a merry little Christmas
Let your heart be light
From now on our troubles will be out of sight
Lyrics from ‘Have yourself a merry little Christmas’

As the lovely Christmas carol suggests, I hope that all of our students, staff, parents/guardians and the extended Lithgow community have a Christmas filled with fun, laughter, rest and memories. Likewise, I wish that any troubles experienced can be set aside and that Christmas truly becomes a time where we experience the love, support and happiness that our engagement with our closest family and friends can only bring.

Similarly, I hope that a collective wish of all is for a safe and peaceful Christmas locally and across the world. May we look towards 2024 having navigated a summer where we have no impactful bushfires, cyclones or other natural disasters. May our roads be safe and more globally may peace come to parts of the world that have been engaged in conflicts for months and years.

Over the coming days, I will be highlighting staff farewells on our facebook page who are leaving us at the end of this year. Being a smaller school, the impact of each and every staff member is felt across our community and the departure of any staff member is significant to our community. To the following staff, we thank you sincerely for your contributions, commitment and passion for making La Salle Academy a place of learning, compassion and love.

Our students are in a better place for the role that you have undertaken here. Thank you to Katie Bennett,
Bernadette Hicks, Belinda Redden, Jonathon Coller, Ross Burrell, Charlotte Edwards, Victor Kustra.
We have had a great year at La Salle Academy. COVID-19 took a significant toll on education in Australia and across the world, and I believe that in 2023 we started to rebound from the impact that this pandemic created. We were fully staffed this year, provided many curricular and co-curricular opportunities, engaged in significant facilities and ground maintenance and restoration, and reached out to our community a lot more. As our current motto suggests, we are a small school, but we have certainly engaged in activities and provided a lot of opportunities equal to bigger  schools. All whilst trying to ensure that we create an environment where our students feel safe and supported.

Finally, I would like to extend my personal thanks and gratitude for the support that everyone has shown me in my first year at La Salle Academy. This community has been very welcoming and supportive of the changes that we have facilitated on our journey this year. I am excited about the future of La Salle Academy as we look to push the boundaries, expand our horizons and look to provide the successful pathways for our students to transition post school. Remember to look out on Facebook for important announcements and our upcoming thanks to staff departing.

Finally, yet another carol to finish this report. But a reminder of why we celebrate Christmas and the importance of Christmas to our faith. We hope to see you all at the Christmas Mass’ this year. Good Luck and God Bless.

O Holy Night!
The stars are brightly shining
It is the night of the dear Savior's birth!
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
Till he appear'd and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary soul rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn!
Lyrics from ‘O Holy Night’.

God Bless
Mr Glenn Carpenter

Assistant Principal

Reports for Semester Two, 2023
It has been a pleasure to be involved in supporting the students at La Salle Academy and seeing their dedication and commitment to improvement and growth in their learning this year. Our teachers' hard work and our students' perseverance have resulted in some wonderful achievements for students as evident in our 2023 Awards Ceremony.  We are pleased to announce that the reports for the academic year are now available on Compass. Parents and guardians can access these reports to review their child's progress throughout the year.  The detailed Compass reports provide a comprehensive overview of each student's performance, in classroom behaviour, approach to learning and areas of assessment and achievement. We encourage you to log in and explore these reports to gain insights into your child's progress this semester.

A final message of thanks! 
It is with a mix of emotions that I bid farewell to the La Salle community after this year serving as your Assistant Principal.
La Salle Academy will hold a special place for me, and I am truly grateful for the opportunity to meet so many wonderful, families and students in my time here. I am proud to have been a part of the exciting times that have been had at La Salle in 2023.
I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the dedicated teachers, to Mr Carpenter, the executive team and support staff who work so hard to create such a supportive and nurturing environment for our students. Your commitment to fostering a sense of belonging has helped me immensely, to cope with the many challenges of this role.

To the students, it has been a privilege to witness your growth, achievements, and the resilient spirit that defines our school. Remember, each of you has the potential to make a positive impact on the world, and I have full confidence that you will continue to shine brightly.

Thank you for the support, the laughter, and your friendliness this year. I wish La Salle Academy continued success and prosperity in the future.

Merry Christmas and have a wonderful holiday!

Have a wonderful week!
Katie Bennett

Leader of Teaching and Learning

I would like to end the year with a sincere thank you to our wonderful staff who are the heart of learning and teaching.
I came to La Salle Academy in Term 3 and since joining I have been amazed at the dedication and commitment of all of our staff.
Each and every day our teaching staff epitomise the saying that
‘teaching is a work of heart’ by not only teaching their subjects expertly, but by guiding students, and being genuinely invested in their learning and growth. At a time when there is a teacher shortage across Australia, we are blessed to have a full contingent of teaching staff who work together to
help LSA students achieve their best.
In addition, I would like to acknowledge the staff who support learning in and beyond the
classroom, including our wonderful Learning Support staff, Canteen manager,
Administrative Staff, Science Technician and of course, Facilities and Grounds management.
All of these people generously enable teaching and learning and are critical to the life of our
school.
I hope all staff, students and families have a safe and positive Christmas, New Year and
holiday period. Take the time to do the things that bring you joy and allow yourselves time
to recharge before we take on 2024.

Dr Donna Mitchell
Leader of Teaching and Learning

From the REC

End of Year Mass
This week we celebrated our end of year Mass at St Patrick’s Church. We appreciate Fr Reynold stepping in for this occasion as Fr Garry was not well. Many thanks to the choir and student leaders for their assistance at the Mass.
During the Mass students expressed their appreciation of Fr Garry’s commitment to La Salle Academy.

Here is a copy of the farewell speech they delivered:
Farewell to Father Garry        
We’re not sure if you realise or not, that this is the last time that Father Garry will be celebrating a Mass with the staff and students of La Salle Academy. Unfortunately for us all, he will be retiring and moving to Mudgee in January.
For the past six years Father Garry has been with us on our educational and spiritual journeys. Some of you first met him when you were in primary school, for others, the connections with him have been more recent.
Over his six years association with La Salle, he has celebrated Mass for us all not only here in St Patrick’s Church, but also in our school hall. He has been a regular visitor La Salle, speaking to students not only in the playground but visiting classrooms. He has attended assemblies, award ceremonies, graduation dinners, student retreats, swimming and athletic carnivals. When La Salle had a celebration, you could always count on Father Garry to be there. He has comforted both staff and students in difficult times, providing spiritual counsel. His presence has been a constant in our lives.
So, naturally, when he leaves us, he will be missed greatly by all the students and teachers at La Salle Academy. On behalf of the La Salle Academy community, we want to wish him great happiness and good health in his retirement and to let him know that he will always be a welcomed visitor to our school on his return visits to Lithgow.

Toy Drive
Due to the generosity of the La Salle community, we were able to donate nearly 200 new toys to St Vincent de Paul for Christmas. Mr Marshall attended our Presentation ceremony to accept the awards on behalf of the St Vincent de Paul Society. Congratulations to the student leaders who drove the Toy Drive on an amazing effort.

Farewell
As I am leaving La Salle Academy to return to family in Mudgee, I will take this opportunity to say what a wonderful time I have had at La Salle Academy. 

Wishing you all the joy, peace, and love that this time of year brings.

God Bless
Belinda Redden

Year 7-9 Pastoral Care Co-ordinator

Welcome to the last week of Term 4 for 2023. I will make my last delegram article short and sweet. 

I am delighted to share with you the success and enriching experiences our Year 7 and 8 students had during the recent "Embracing Life" sessions that took place over two days. These sessions were carefully designed to address important aspects of our students' well-being, encompassing self-care, body image, mental health, and an exploration of Aboriginal spirituality. Sessions focused on fostering a sense of self-awareness and the importance of self-care. Students engaged in activities that encouraged them to reflect on their personal strengths, interests, and goals. The goal was to help them build a strong foundation for their well-being, both academically and emotionally.The students had the opportunity to explore and learn about Aboriginal spirituality, gaining valuable insights into the rich cultural heritage of Australia. This session aimed to promote understanding, respect, and appreciation for the diversity that exists within our school community. During Day 1 students participated in physical activities at the local pool and the PCYC boxing and meditation sessions. These activities aimed to promote physical fitness, teamwork, and stress relief. The combination of pool time and PCYC activities provided a holistic approach to well-being, emphasising the importance of a healthy body and mind. I would like to extend our gratitude to our dedicated staff of facilitators who made these sessions possible. 

Finally, 2023 has been an amazing year, with countless student successes, considerable school growth, and an extremely enjoyable working environment. I wish to take this opportunity to thank all the La Salle students, staff, parents and community members who have contributed to such a successful year. 

I would also like to take a moment to thank the staff who are sadly leaving us this year, your enthusiasm, dedication and care for others will be greatly missed. Congratulations on your new adventures and we wish you all the very best in all that you set out to achieve. 

To our ladies in the office, without you, the school does not exist nor run so smoothly! 
You are so wonderful and always ready to help out at a drop of a hat, no job is too big. On behalf of the students, we thank you for your consistent smiling faces and caring nature. 

Looking forward, I am extremely excited about what 2024 will bring to La Salle Academy as I adventure into a new position for the next 12 months. 

Have a Merry Christmas and enjoy your much-awaited holiday. 

Lessons from a Christmas Tree:

"Be a light in the darkness.

We all fall over sometimes.

You can never wear too much glitter.

Bring joy to others.

Sparkle and twinkle as often as possible.

It's okay to be a little tilted".

~ Jane Lee Logan

If you have any questions, concerns, or suggestions, please don't hesitate to reach out to me. I am here to support you and your children in any way I can.

Positive reinforcement changes behaviour for the better, while criticism stabilises negative behaviours and blocks change. Virginia H. Pearce

Mrs Wilsmore-Smith 
Year 7-9 Pastoral Welfare Coordinator

Pastoral Welfare Co-ordinator Years 10 - 12

It is with a sad heart that I write my last Delagram article, due to the fact that I am taking a year’s Long Service Leave, commencing in January 2024. I have relished the position of Pastoral Welfare Co-ordinator for the past five years and feel so honoured to have been entrusted with the pastoral care of students from Year 10 to Year 12. To see the students mature into fine young women and men ready to go out into the world and make their own mark, has given me great pleasure, and pride. If I have contributed to their successes, then I am happy.

Despite this being the final week of 2023, school has been no less busy. What a wonderful night Monday night’s Trivia was. This was organised by the leaders and myself as a fundraiser for Lasallian Mission. A total of $1500 was raised on the night. A special “Thank You” must go to Sunnyridge Meats for donating a Christmas ham, won by Mrs Judi Knight, the Fairmont Resort for donating a family pass to its ice-skating rink, won by Mrs Bek Sheather, the LSA staff for donating items to tow Christmas hampers, won by Mrs Renae De Losa and Mrs Jenny Hoy, mother of or Counsellor, Tegan Kiely. Mr Ross Burrell was the comedic Quizmaster and BBQ King was Mr Glenn Carpenter.

Separately, the leaders organised a toy drive to help St Vincent de Paul’s Christmas Appeal. The response was overwhelming, with more than two hundred gifts donated. A presentation was made to Mr Garry Marshall on Tuesday at the Awards Ceremony.

On Tuesday, the students, staff and families gathered to celebrate the final school Mass at St Patrick’s Church. This was followed by the Awards Ceremony in the school hall. Over 90 students were acknowledged. Congratulations to the following students of Year 10 and 11 who were recognised for their achievements over Semester 2:

Year 10:

Benjamin Bennett – Application Award

Nate Blackman - Application Award

Ellablu Boyling - Application Award, Academic Award, First Place – Food Technology, geography and PDHPE

Jarah Café - Application Award, Equestrian Representative

Mary-Ann Carle - Application Award, Academic Award, First Place – English, Mathematics 5.3

Ally Crane – Application Award, First Place – Mathematics 5.1

Emily Dean - Application Award, Academic Award, First Place –Agriculture, Graphics, Diocesan Representative - Swimming

Victoria Faunce – Application Award

Jessica Gearside – Application Award

Macey Goldspink – Application Award, Academic Award

Noah Green - Application Award, Academic Award, First Place – Industrial Technology Timber and Commerce

Dane Griffiths – Application Award

Cailin Houlison-Case – Application Award, First Place – Religious Education

Cody Johnson - Diocesan Representation – Rugby League

Amira Kathir – Application Award

Jake Maranda – 100% Attendance

Brooke McDonald – Application Award, First Place – Mathematics 5.2 and Geography

Riley McIlveen-Webb – Equestrian Representation

Mia Nicholls – Application Award

Mathew Northey – 100% Attendance

Liam O’Regan – Diocesan Representation – Basketball 

Harry Papadatos – Application Award

Harry Richardson - 100% Attendance, Application Award, First Place – History, Science, Japanese, Commerce

Emma Rushworth - Application Award, First Place – Music and PASS 

Isolde Sammundsett – First Place – Visual Arts

Jai Simcoe – 100% Attendance, Diocesan Representation – Basketball 

Jacob Wilson – Application Award, Diocesan Representation – Swimming

Year 11:

Liam Aarts  - 100% Attendance, Application Award, First Place – Ancient History

Isabella Campbell – Application Award, First Place – Modern History, PDHPE and CAFS

Gabrielle Dray – Equestrian Representation

Maddison Field - Application Award, First Place – English Standard, Studies of Religion 2, Music

Hannah Golan – Application Award, First Place – Legal Studies

Robert Hughan – Application Award

Isabella Inzitari – Application Award, First Place – English Advanced, Business Studies

Finn Marjoram - Application Award, First Place – Studies of Religion 1, Biology, IT Graphics,    Mathematics Advanced, Mathematics Ext 1

Bailey Neil – Application Award

Cooper Northey – Application Award

Jack Sheather - Application Award, First Place – Chemistry, IT Timber, Mathematics Standard

Annika Taylor – Application Award

Chloe Weldon – Application Award

Recipients of Special Awards:

The Energy Australia Award for School and Community Service:

Year 10: Jarah Cafe

Year 11: Gabrielle Dray

Black Gold Award for Consistent Effort:

Year 10: Harry Richardson

Year 11: Finn Marjoram

The winner of the Lithgow City Council Award was Jack Sheather. (Yr 12)

The recipient of the Lions Club Service Award was Emma Rushworth. (Yr 10)

The winner of the Hartley Valley Vets Award was Cailin Houlison-Case (Year 10)

The recipient of the Quota International Dr Judith White Award for 2023 is Maddison Field.

Congratulations to all of these students.

Last week, Year 10 engaged in the Teen Mental Health First Aid Program, run by Blue Mountains Youth Services. The aim of the program is provide young people with guidance on what to do if someone close to them experiences a mental health crisis, namely what to do until a responsible adult can attend. Year 10 finished the school year with an evening out at “Seclusions”. They all looked so much older than when attending school dressed in uniforms. They all had a wonderful evening. Thanks to Mr Carpenter and the organising committee for planning such an occasion and to Mrs Bressington who worked tirelessly on the decorations.

Year 11 finished their year with a pool party, inviting Ms Redden and myself. The water was glorious, the sausages were tasty and it was a lovely way to say goodbye, not only to Ms Redden and I, but also to each other that they may not see over the holidays.

Year 12 students woke to texts on Thursday morning advising the of their HSC results. The hard work put in over the year has been evident in some of the results received. Students, and their teachers, can be very proud of their achievements. I know that we will hear great things about these young people in the years to come.

Finally, thank you again for the support you have given me in my role as Pastoral Welfare Co-ordinator. The role will be filled by Mr Steve Carroll next year, a teacher with extensive experience in student wellbeing. In my time off, I am looking forward to welcoming my first grandchild in Canberra, cruising to Melbourne for the Australian Open in January, a couple of weeks in Thailand in May and five weeks in Europe in July/August. I do hope to “visit” La Salle in a casual teacher capacity, though.

I wish you all a very holy and safe Christmas holidays.

Best Wishes,
Mrs Bernadette Hicks              
Pastoral Welfare Co-ordinator Years 10 - 12

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La Salle's got talent

Celebrating LSA's Got Talent Success!
Friday week 9 showed an incredible afternoon of talent and entertainment at SA's Got Talent!
A huge thank you to everyone who made the event a huge success.
Our students took the stage by storm, showcasing their remarkable skills and passions.
Each performance was a shining example of the incredible diversity and talent within our
school.
A special congratulations goes to Emma Rushworth for her dance performance of "What the
World Needs Now," earning her the well-deserved first place.
Congratulations to Mathew Northey for winning the People's Choice Award with his song
"Could Have Been Me." His talent truly moved us all.

Behind every great show is an amazing team. Our tech crew worked tirelessly to ensure
flawless performances, and our hosts Liam and Jake kept the energy high throughout the
afternoon.

Well done to the staff that got up to show the kids that it all about fun and having a go!

Thank you to our fantastic audience, your support, cheers and participation made the
evening even more special. Thank you for being a part of this memorable event.
Here's to celebrating the incredible talent within our school community. Let's continue to
support and encourage each other's passions and skills. LSA PROUD

Warm regards,
Helen Johnston & Keely Millar
SRC Teachers

Chess Club

Our Chess Club recently visited St. Joseph's Primary School in Portland, dedicating the entire session to teaching the art of chess. Dividing their time between Year 5/6 and Year 3/4 classrooms, our Chess Club members engaged students in a hands-on experience, introducing them to the fundamentals of the game. The interactive lessons allowed students to grasp the rules and strategies of chess, fostering a supportive environment for learning. The Chess Club's visit aimed to ignite a passion for the game among St. Joseph's students, and we are pleased to have contributed to their chess journey. We look forward to more opportunities to share the joy of chess in our community.
Kind regards,Helen Johnston

Sport

What a year it was in sport! We have had many students compete at national levels and be chosen in elite teams and competitions. As you read this there are still some of our students trialling and vying for a position in our Western Rams Rugby League Teams. 

For a small school of 250 odd students we definitely punch above our weight. In basketball we not only beat the bigger schools in our diocese to qualify for the NSW CCC but we also were very competitive with some of the bigger schools in Sydney and the Central Coast. 

Our swimming carnival and athletics carnival were great events with much improved participation. I do look forward to next year with attendance and participation improving. They are both locked on the calendar and will be held early in the new year. 

As seen on our facebook page recently, we had Beau Hughan of year 7 selected in the NSW Under 13 Indoor Hockey Team. Beau will be competing over the holidays and I look forward to speaking with Beau in the new year to hear about his performance. 

Congratulations to all students that represented LaSalle this year and thank you to all students that trialled for various sporting events. I do hope that you all can again trial and compete next year. 

Mr Steve Carroll
PDHPE Teacher

Year 9 Drone Flying Workshop

On Wednesday 6th December, twelve Year 9 students had the opportunity to participate in a drone workshop facilitated by CEDB Education Officer for Science, STEM and Partnerships, Jan Mendham. This workshop involved training to understand Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) rules and guidelines to using drones safely, followed by opportunities to code and test drone programs in a range of settings.

The workshop was full of intriguing ‘missions’, including a challenge set to students to plot and program their drone to follow the course of a flooding river’s path to identify any people in danger. This was an excellent chance for students to understand how drones can be used in a range of situations and develop their skills in coding and piloting drones.

Students also had a great time making the drones do flips in the air and engaging in drone races. It was an excellent day and we are so appreciative that Jan took the time to come and work with our students for such an excellent STEM event.

“We learnt some amazing skills on coding and flying drones. It was really fun getting to fly the drones and learn about how we can use them.” - Joshua McManus

Pre- Apprenticeship Program For Women

Lithgow and Portland Library Santa Storytime & craft afternoons leading up to Christmas.

Learning difficulties Parent Helpline Information

CEBD Community Charter

ZENN ABILITY

School Zones Reminder

A reminder to all our parents that school zones remain in place for the safety of our children and families. School zones operate on all gazetted school days, which are all the days the school is open, even pupil free days.